Before the 1940s, if a single pickup truck existed in the Cayman Islands, it was the exception. The catboat — a hand-built, double-ended sailboat — was the rule.
When you look at a Cayman catboat, you are not looking at a piece of maritime nostalgia. You are looking at the primary technology that made life possible across the three islands for decades. These small, shallow-draft vessels carried the sick to hospitals, transported the dead for burial, moved goods between districts, and enabled fishermen and turtle rangers to pursue their catch. They were built without written plans, from trees selected for their natural curves, by men who learned the craft by watching. No two were exactly alike. And today, after roads and outboard motors rendered most of them obsolete, fewer than a handful remain in original condition. This article investigates how the Cayman catboat was built, why it mattered, and what it means that people are still building them.
The Cayman catboat is a double-ended, shallow-draft sailboat with a single mast mounted far forward, built entirely by hand from locally sourced timber. It was the islands’ primary mode of transport, fishing vessel, and social connector until the mid-20th century. Its construction relied on an oral tradition of boatbuilding that produced no two identical boats. The practice nearly vanished, but a small community of builders and the Cayman Islands Catboat Club have kept it alive — though the number of people who can build one from scratch remains very small.
Maritime history enthusiasts
Travelers interested in Caymanian heritage
Wooden boatbuilding hobbyists
| Feature | Cayman Catboat | Typical modern sailboat |
|---|---|---|
| Hull shape | Double-ended (pointed at both bow and stern) | Transom stern (flat back) |
| Mast position | Far forward, near the bow | Midship or aft |
| Construction method | Hand tools, no written plans, timber selected for natural curves | Fiberglass or plywood, factory-built from standardized plans |
| Primary propulsion | Single sail, oars, paddles | Engine (inboard or outboard) as primary, sail as secondary |
| Draft (depth in water) | Very shallow — could access any cove or shoreline | Deeper keel, limited to deeper waters |
| Number built (peak era) | Over 300 across the islands | Varies widely by model |
The differences are not just technical. They reflect two completely different relationships with the sea — one where the boat had to be its own dock, its own engine, and its own roadmap.
Where the Design Came From
The first catboat in the Cayman Islands was built in 1904 in Cayman Brac by Captain Daniel Jervis. Born in 1862, Jervis constructed his first vessel, named The Terror, under a fig tree near his home in Spot Bay. The boat measured 14 feet long and 3 feet 8 inches wide. It served until it was lost in a storm in 1932. Jervis taught the craft to several other men, including Edwin Walton, Arthur Dilbert, Arthur Ryan, and Ulin Bodden, and the skill spread from Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman. After Jervis died in 1939, his son Lee Jervis took over the trade.
The design itself was not unique to Cayman — catboats were used along the eastern coast of North America — but the Cayman version adapted to local conditions. The shallow draft meant the boat could be beached directly, eliminating the need for docks. The double-ended hull made it maneuverable in tight spaces and forgiving in rough seas. Builders used popnut (also called plopnut) trees for the natural curves of the hull, mahogany for planking, and fiddlewood or pomperra for the ribs. Women stitched the sails using hand-held sewing machines. The boats were painted blue to reduce glare from the sun on the water.
How the Boats Were Built — and Why No Two Are Alike
Catboat construction was an oral tradition. No written plans existed. Every builder worked from memory, observation, and the specific piece of timber in front of them. The size of the tree dictated the size of the boat. Builders bent the wood slowly using heat and friction, shaping it by hand with adzes, planes, handsaws, chisels, and spokeshaves. They stuffed crocus fiber into the seams between planks to make the hull watertight. Every district on Grand Cayman had 10 to 15 people building catboats from scratch in their backyards. A boatyard was often just a yard with a keel laid out on the ground.
This method produced boats that were individually responsive to the wood and the builder’s eye. It also meant that when the builders stopped building, the knowledge was not written down anywhere. Jerris Miller, the current president of the Cayman Islands Catboat Club, spent decades learning the old method through trial and error. He eventually concluded that the traditional approach — selecting and shaping timber by hand — cannot be replaced by pre-made kits or modern shortcuts.
A popnut tree with a natural curve matching the desired hull shape was felled. The tree’s size and grain determined the boat’s dimensions — no two boats could be identical because no two trees were identical.
Using hand tools — adzes, planes, chisels, spokeshaves — the builder shaped the timber. Heat and friction bent the wood into the double-ended form. Mahogany planks were added for the sides, and fiddlewood or pomperra for the ribs.
Crocus fiber was stuffed into the gaps between planks to make the hull watertight. This natural material swelled when wet, creating a tight seal.
Women in the community stitched the single sail using hand-held sewing machines. The sail was made from cotton or canvas, cut and sewn to fit the boat’s specific mast and hull dimensions.
The finished boat was painted blue to reduce glare. It was launched directly from the beach — no dock required — and could be rowed, paddled, or sailed to any cove or shoreline.
If you want to see a catboat being built, visit the Cayman Islands Catboat Club headquarters in George Town. The club operates an active workshop in a building over a century old. Members are usually happy to explain the process, but call ahead to confirm someone is working that day.
The Decline — and What Almost Got Lost
Catboat use declined for two main reasons. The first was the expansion of roads, which made land transport faster and more reliable. The second was the end of commercial turtling, which had been a primary use for the boats. By the 1940s, outboard motors began appearing, and most catboats had their sterns cut off to mount them. Jerris Miller, who detested these modified boats as a young man, later recognized that the modifications were what kept some boats in use long enough to be preserved. About 99% of the more than 300 catboats that once existed on the islands rotted away. Only one catboat on Grand Cayman was never cut for an outboard motor.
Hurricane Ivan in 2004 dealt another blow. The storm destroyed several restored boats and the Catboat Club’s meeting space. The late Ira Walton’s restoration efforts were also compromised by the hurricane. For a time, it seemed possible that the knowledge would disappear entirely.
How the Tradition Differs Across the Islands
The catboat tradition was not uniform across Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. The following table summarizes the key differences in how the boats were built, used, and preserved on each island.
| Island | Role in catboat history | Notable builders | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cayman Brac | Origin point — Captain Daniel Jervis built the first catboat here in 1904 | Daniel Jervis, Lee Jervis, Edwin Walton, Arthur Dilbert | One original, unmodified catboat remains on the island |
| Grand Cayman | Center of catboat use and racing; most boats were built and used here | Kem Jackson, Jerris Miller, William Austin Ebanks | Active Catboat Club headquarters; several restored boats; educational programs |
| Little Cayman | Smaller population meant fewer boats, but catboats were used for transport and fishing | Fewer named builders in records | No active catboat building or restoration known |
A common misconception is that the Cayman catboat is the same as the American catboat found in New England. While both are single-masted, shallow-draft boats, the Cayman version is double-ended (pointed at both ends), whereas the American catboat typically has a flat transom stern. The construction methods and materials are also entirely different.
The Revival — and What It Takes to Keep Building
The Cayman Islands Catboat Club was founded in 1998 to promote and preserve the catboat. Loxley Banks is a director of the club, and Kem Jackson and Jerris Miller are central to its restoration efforts. In 2011, Dart awarded a $175,000 grant to the Catboat Club, which allowed the club to occupy a building over a century old with an active workshop. Dart also commissioned a 400-pound stainless steel sculpture honoring William Austin Ebanks and Kem Jackson, which is displayed outside the club’s headquarters. Artisan Metal Works donated over 600 hours to create the sculpture.
The Gwen Bush Memorial Scholarship supports young Caymanians in boat-making. Three young people, including Miller’s son, have studied boat-making under the scholarship. One of them, Ned, studied at the International Yacht Restoration School in Rhode Island. The scholarship is one of the few formal mechanisms for passing on the craft to a new generation.
Kem Jackson, who received an MBE and a National Heritage Award for his work, built a six-foot model of a catboat for the Chelsea Flower Show, winning a silver medal. He also refurbished the 24-foot Whittaker Cat for educational programs and restored a catboat named Miss Ola for the Library by the Sea at Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa. His personal catboat, Captain D, is one of the few operational examples on the island.
The Catboat Club offers public rides in a genuine Cayman catboat. Check their schedule in advance — rides are not daily and depend on weather and boat availability. It is one of the only ways to experience what travel was like in the islands before roads.
- The Cayman catboat was not a leisure craft — it was the islands’ primary transport, fishing, and communication technology until the mid-20th century.
- Construction was entirely oral and improvisational: no written plans, no two boats alike, and the tree dictated the boat’s size.
- Fewer than a handful of original, unmodified catboats survive, but a small community of builders and the Catboat Club are actively preserving and passing on the craft.
- The tradition varies by island: Cayman Brac is the origin point, Grand Cayman is the center of preservation, and Little Cayman has no active building today.
Questions Readers Ask
How many Cayman catboats still exist?
About 1% of the more than 300 catboats that once existed remain. Most rotted away or were modified with outboard motors. Only one catboat on Grand Cayman was never cut for an engine.
Can I ride in a Cayman catboat?
Yes. The Cayman Islands Catboat Club offers public rides. Availability depends on weather and boat condition, so contact the club in advance to confirm.
Are catboats still being built?
Yes, but only by a small number of people. The Gwen Bush Memorial Scholarship supports young Caymanians learning the craft, and builders like Kem Jackson and Jerris Miller continue to build and restore boats.
What wood was used to build catboats?
Popnut (or plopnut) trees provided the natural curves for the hull. Mahogany was used for planking, and fiddlewood or pomperra for the ribs. Crocus fiber sealed the seams.
Why were catboats painted blue?
To reduce glare from the sun reflecting off the water. The blue paint made it easier for the sailor to see while navigating.
What the Catboat Reveals About Cayman
The Cayman catboat is not a relic. It is a working record of how people solved the problem of moving through a scattered island world without roads, without docks, and without written instructions. The fact that a handful of builders are still shaping popnut timber by hand, using techniques passed down by observation rather than blueprint, means that the tradition is not frozen in a museum — it is still being tested against the wood. The catboat’s survival depends on people who are willing to learn a craft that cannot be Googled. That, in itself, is a kind of knowledge worth paying attention to.
For more on how Cayman’s maritime history shaped the islands, read our guide to the maritime heritage of Cayman and its sailing and seafaring history.
Sources and further reading
Cayman Compass. “Cayman catboats: No two were exactly alike.” 2020. 🔗
Cayman Compass. “Cayman catboats: A link to the islands’ past.” 2019. 🔗
Cayman Chamber of Commerce. “Cayman Catboat Club honours champions of maritime heritage.” 🔗
Related reading on IslandHopperGuides
Cayman Architecture Reflects Caribbean Heritage — how local building traditions mirror the resourcefulness seen in catboat construction.
Caymanian Storytelling: Keeping Folklore Alive in the Digital Age — another oral tradition that, like catboat building, depends on transmission between generations.
Pirates, Plantations, Progress: Unpacking Cayman’s Complex History — broader historical context for the era when catboats were the primary mode of transport.
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